Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

In 1853, in the farthest outpost of the Czar's empire, many of the laborers were indentured servants — seven-year men no better off than slaves. In New Archangel, now Sitka, four of them, all Scandinavians, stole a canoe and pointed it south toward Astoria, in Oregon, twelve hundred miles away.

This adventurous story pits its characters against the sea and ultimately against each other. The four sea runners — glib, gangly Melander, silent Karlsson, the thief Braff, and sour, doubting Wennberg — must weather the worst the ill-named Pacific can throw at them. And must, day upon day, guided as much by instinct as by map, simply paddle, stroke upon stroke, toward the mouth of the Columbia River.

Synopsis:

In this timeless survival story, four indentured servants escape their Russian Alaska work camp in a stolen canoe, only to face a harrowing journey down the Pacific Northwest coast. Battling unrelenting high seas and fierce weather from New Archangel, Alaska, to Astoria, Oregon, the men struggle to avoid hostile Tlingit Indians, to fend off starvation and exhaustion, and to endure their own doubt and distrust. Based on an actual incident in 1853, The Sea Runners is a spare and awe-inspiring tale of the human quest for freedom.

Synopsis:

"The Sea Runners . . . goes beyond being 'about' survival and becomes, mile by terrible mile, the experience itself."--The New York Times Book Review

In this timeless survival story, four indentured servants escape their Russian Alaska work camp in a stolen canoe, only to face a harrowing journey down the Pacific Northwest coast. Battling unrelenting high seas and fierce weather from New Archangel, Alaska, to Astoria, Oregon, the men struggle to avoid hostile Tlingit Indians, to fend off starvation and exhaustion, and to endure their own doubt and distrust. Based on an actual incident in 1853, The Sea Runners is a spare and awe-inspiring tale of the human quest for freedom.

"Ivan Doigs The Sea Runners has all the grace, charm, and spaciousness of his book This House of Sky, but combined with the drama of a great escape. The sea, wind, space, are palpable in this exquisitely worked book. And not the least of its charms is the liveliness with which it explores a forgotten corner of North American history."—Thomas Keneally, author of Schindlers List

Ivan Doig is the author of ten previous books, including the novels Prairie Nocturne and Dancing at the Rascal Fair. A former ranch hand, newspaperman, and magazine editor, Doig holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Washington. He lives in Seattle.

About the Author

Ivan Doig is the author of ten previous books, including the novels Prairie Nocturne and Dancing at the Rascal Fair. A former ranch hand, newspaperman, and magazine editor, Doig holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Washington. He lives in Seattle.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

Joanne Haley, June 21, 2014 (view all comments by Joanne Haley)
I really enjoyed this novel, as I've enjoyed other Ivan Doig's books in the past. It requires quite a bit of concentration to follow the language style of the times but by writing it this way Doig really captured the essence of adventure undertaken by four escapees from a Russian work camp in Sitka Alaska in the 1850's (then called New Archangel) via a stolen Tlingit canoe. It took them just about 2 months rowing down the rugged stretch of Northwest Pacific Ocean to make it to their destination of Astoria Oregon, and as one can imagine it was a harrowing journey the entire way. The book is inspired by the true story of these men - a letter containing the men's names was found dated 1853 written by the local oystermen who found them at the end of their journey. It was especially interesting to me as I just spent some time in Sitka Alaska learning the local history of the Russians and native Alaskan Tlingits.

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
In this timeless survival story, four indentured servants escape their Russian Alaska work camp in a stolen canoe, only to face a harrowing journey down the Pacific Northwest coast. Battling unrelenting high seas and fierce weather from New Archangel, Alaska, to Astoria, Oregon, the men struggle to avoid hostile Tlingit Indians, to fend off starvation and exhaustion, and to endure their own doubt and distrust. Based on an actual incident in 1853, The Sea Runners is a spare and awe-inspiring tale of the human quest for freedom.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

"The Sea Runners . . . goes beyond being 'about' survival and becomes, mile by terrible mile, the experience itself."--The New York Times Book Review

In this timeless survival story, four indentured servants escape their Russian Alaska work camp in a stolen canoe, only to face a harrowing journey down the Pacific Northwest coast. Battling unrelenting high seas and fierce weather from New Archangel, Alaska, to Astoria, Oregon, the men struggle to avoid hostile Tlingit Indians, to fend off starvation and exhaustion, and to endure their own doubt and distrust. Based on an actual incident in 1853, The Sea Runners is a spare and awe-inspiring tale of the human quest for freedom.

"Ivan Doigs The Sea Runners has all the grace, charm, and spaciousness of his book This House of Sky, but combined with the drama of a great escape. The sea, wind, space, are palpable in this exquisitely worked book. And not the least of its charms is the liveliness with which it explores a forgotten corner of North American history."—Thomas Keneally, author of Schindlers List

Ivan Doig is the author of ten previous books, including the novels Prairie Nocturne and Dancing at the Rascal Fair. A former ranch hand, newspaperman, and magazine editor, Doig holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Washington. He lives in Seattle.

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